Two Iowan retailers have been selected to each receive $125,000 in grant funding from the state to provide higher biodiesel and ethanol blends to the public.

Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the Iowa Department of Transportation held a press conference April 14 announcing the grants to Farmers Cooperative and Oak Street Station. Farmers Cooperative plans to build a new fueling location at its Country Store in Mount Ayr in southern Iowa. The station will offer E10, E15 to 2001 and newer vehicles, E30, E50, and E85 as well as B5, B10 and B20. Oak Street Station’s grant will help pay for its new fueling site set to be built in Inwood in the northwest part of the state. The station will offer E10, E15, E30, and E85, as well as B5 year-round and B99.9 during the summer months for independent jobbers and special use customers such as tractor pullers.

The grants were given out as part of Iowa’s “Fueling Our Future” program, administered by IDALS and IDOT, the purpose of which is to gain better consumer information regarding fueling preferences, expand the use and availability of higher blends of ethanol and biodiesel, and provide a pathway to reduce particulate matter in Iowa.

“I’ve long been an advocate for increasing consumer access to locally produced, environmentally friendly renewable fuels,” stated Branstad. “The two retailers receiving funding as part of the Fueling Our Future program will provide Iowans with additional access to higher blends of ethanol and biodiesel, supporting Iowa products and jobs, while also improving air quality.”

“Based on the consumer response to higher levels of renewable fuels at our Creston location, Farmers Cooperative wants to add more blender pumps where they are needed,” stated Farmers Cooperative Creston Location Manager Darin Schlapia. “Mount Ayr is the hub of Ringgold County and we want to capture that customer base by offering more American-made fuel options. We’re pooling the Coop members’ resources to drive profitability and offer more competitively priced fueling options not otherwise available.”

“At Oak Street Station, we have a passion for renewable fuels and want to help grow the industry,” stated Oak Street Station Accountant Lisa VanRegenmorter. “Putting in blender pumps and biodiesel will continue our support for biofuels, provide fuel choices for our customers, and supply customer data to support the state’s Fueling the Future initiative.”